Celebrate National Family Literacy Day with Free Library Resources
By Anthony T.
Thu, October 31, 2024
In 1994, Congress designated National Family Literacy Day on November 1 to encourage learning beyond the classroom and across generations. This observance aims to strengthen family bonds through shared learning experiences and aligns closely with the Free Library’s mission to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity.
Celebrate Family Literacy Day with some of the great Free Library literacy programs and online resources listed below.
Read, Baby, Read is a Free Library initiative focused on encouraging early literacy development among infants and young toddlers. In addition to in-person programs at Free Library locations, Read, Baby, Read offers caregivers the resources to continually support their child’s early literacy skills, language development, and purposeful play at home. Find upcoming Read, Baby, Read programming.
Read by 4th is a citywide coalition of family, community, and civic leaders working together to increase the number of students in Philadelphia entering the 4th grade at reading level. Convened and managed by the Free Library since 2016, Read by 4th places considerable focus on at-home reading and family engagement.
Federal data suggests as many as 52% of adults in Philadelphia are functionally illiterate, which can seriously hinder their ability to further their children’s reading journey at home. The Free Library offers English literacy courses to help adults fully grasp written English and reduce adult illiteracy in Philadelphia. Additionally, the Free Library’s English Language Learning courses can help ESL parents and guardians gain English proficiency, an important tool for reading and homework help.
The Free Library's flagship reading challenge, Summer of Wonder, concluded in August 2024, but our seasonal reading challenges ensure children can continue to bring learing home with them throughout the year. Our current challenge, "Fall Into Reading," features options for individual or family registration! Learn more about Free Library Reading Challenges.
Reading Champs Group Activities
Introduced in 2023, the Free Library's Reading Champs Guide features learning activities with meaningful end goals that utilize the core principles of Playful Learning — that kids are more likely to learn when they're enjoying themselves. With group activities that emphasize movement, teamwork, and creativity, the Reading Champs Guide is full of low-maintenance fun for children and their caretakers to enjoy.
The Free Library's digital catalog at OverDrive.com ensures that patrons can access thousands of our materials anywhere they have an internet connection. The Overdrive Kids' eReading Room has books suited to readers aged 12 and under, and its accessibility makes it an ideal resource for at-home learning. Want to access OverDrive on your smartphone or tablet? Try the Libby app!
The Pennsylvania Department of Education's POWER Digital Library has a wealth of online resources for learners of all ages. POWER Kids Library can be especially useful for learning outside of the classroom thanks to hybrid platforms like BookFlix and TrueFlix, which pair digital books from Scholastic Publishing with accompanying videos for a fun, interactive learning experience.
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